In Boston, Kate (Parker) has a loving husband, Richard (Kinnear), and two adorable children. Everyone watches her in wonder as she juggles her responsibilities as a wife, mother and high-powered investment banker. But the constant business trips are taking their toll, especially when she's required to work regularly in New York with investor Jack (Brosnan). It's a struggle, but Kate keeps everything running. The question is whether anyone is actually happy with the situation.

With frequent forays into sassy misunderstandings and silly slapstick, the film feels like a romantic-comedy with Kate and Jack on a collision course for love. But that would be far too edgy for a movie like this, so instead we get scene after scene of Kate trying to keep all of her balls in the air while worrying whether she's doing the right thing. Meanwhile, sideplots push her best friend (Hendricks) and work colleague (Munn) into the joys of being a wife and mother.

Yes, the message is that muddled. As in Parker's Sex and the City, these talented, independent women can't survive without their man and/or children. The cast members play it with wistful charm that punches both the comedy and the Big Important Themes, but superficial writing and direction mean they miss everything. It's light and often funny, but not nearly as meaningful as it pretends to be. So every plot point is predictable, and the film gets increasingly grating.

The fundamental flaw in McKenna's premise is essentially sexist: men are useless. The script continually notes how men are incapable of running a household: they think their tiny responsibilities are far more important than motherhood and never realise when the toilet paper is running out. Sure, there are some men like this, but this bald generalisation is just as false as the opposite image of women as cooks and cleaners. Examining the real double standards might have made a good movie, but this film tries too hard to wave its flag while not insulting anyone.

themes, language, innuendo

14.Sep.11